Making site testing a basic instinct

Using “a go with your gut” feeling doesn’t always translate into successful web site design. Instead retailers that have an instinctive hunch that a new design or feature will deliver better e-commerce business results need to first really test the concept, says Paul Kalemkiarian Jr., president of direct marketer Wine of the Month Club.

Over the years WineoftheMonth.com, the e-commerce site of Wine of the Month Club, developed new design elements based on an ad-hoc and instinctive process. “We just kept bolting on,” says Kalemkiarian.

But when Wine of the Month Club decided in September 2009 to redesign its web site, which generates 85% of the company’s revenue, it made testing a big part of the process. “You have to test these days to see if your concepts resonate with customers,” says Kalemkiarian. “Online shoppers are bombarded with images and brands. You need to test to see if your design ideas will really deliver a better user experience.”

Wine of the Month Club is a small direct marketer, with total annual web sales are less than $10 million, says Kalemkiarian. But even smaller web merchants can make big and effective design changes by doing a better job of testing, he says.

More effective A/B testing has helped Wine of the Month Club develop web page templates that make it easier to develop more personalized marketing campaigns, especially for e-mail, he says.

A new design also makes it easier to test new ideas prior to any full-scale roll out. “I am constantly looking at what’s new online with our competitors,” says Kalemkiarian. “If we instinctively think there’s something we should be doing, we can test and roll out the concept much faster now that we have a much better designed web site.”

Internet Retailer’s editors asked Kalemkiarian to speak because, after buying the company from his father in 1989, he has helped the club grow substantially, adding premium wine memberships as well as maintaining the Classic membership. The company relies on direct mail as the primary prospecting vehicle, but cultivates customer loyalty through podcasts, streaming video in e-mails, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and more.